Through the troubled times and famine, I just want to farm peacefully

In addition to Yucheng, news of other cities being massacred came one after another.

Not only were the people of the Dongyue Wang family responsible for the massacre, but other aristocratic warlords were also responsible, not to mention the mixed Hu coalition forces in the northern Central Plains.

The entire South was shrouded in extreme panic, and ordinary people were even more gloomy, fearing that the war would come to them one day.

The streets and alleys of every city in the South are deserted, and people no longer go out casually.

On the contrary, after learning the news, the villages under the jurisdiction of Longtan came to the county town to inquire about the news.

In a short while, the gate of the county government office was filled with people, and guards were maintaining order.

Lin Yiheng came out of the county government office and saw a crowd of people. Everyone was discussing something excitedly.

He took out a simple loudspeaker and said, "Everyone please be quiet."

The villagers immediately stopped discussing and craned their necks to look at him.

"Don't be afraid, the rebels will not open our Longtan. We will also strengthen security. Please go back first and don't move around."

Although he said so, the people of Longtan were refugees from the Central Plains. There had been wars in the Central Plains for years and famine was severe. Many warlords and Hu people used people as food, and the people even exchanged their own children for food.

This is not a secret; it has long been known to the world.

They are now living and working in peace and contentment in Longtan, and every household has managed to save up some food. If a rebel army comes and burns, kills and loots, how can they not be afraid!

So, some people started to discuss secretly.

"Instead of being so frightened, why don't we just hide in the mountains?"

"The county magistrate said everything was fine, but you still don't believe him?"

"What if he cheats on us?"

"Think about it, since we came to Longtan until now, the people in Longtan County Government are different from the officials in other places. They have never cheated us."

"That's true." The man felt a little more at ease.

Someone whispered, "But I'd better go back and dig a cellar to store food, just in case."

The others suddenly realized what was going on. Because the south was humid, they had never thought of digging a cellar, and now they had forgotten about it.

The news spread quickly, and with the comfort of Lin Yiheng and others, the villagers quickly dispersed.

At the same time, in the county government's meeting hall, all Longtan managers were holding a meeting.

Yun Liu reported to everyone the news from the attack in Nanzhou Prefecture.

"After the heavy snow and frost in May, the Central Plains suffered a severe famine, with most of the grain production reduced and harvested completely. Now it is the twelfth month again, and there have been several heavy snowfalls in the Central Plains, causing the Dongyue Wang family to be unable to keep up with the logistics supply. The soldiers starved and after they broke through Yucheng, they committed such a brutal act as the massacre of the city."

"Has all the grain taxes from Nanzhou Prefecture been given to Feng Yongyan?" Lin Yinan asked.

Yun Liu shook his head. "No, Master Yun Er found out that the refugees were coming, so he found a reason to withhold the grain tax for the two seasons this year, saying that they would be shipped away after the New Year."

Yu Shida was not in Nanzhou Prefecture, and thanks to Yun Zhenchuan's mediation, the grain did not reach the Yu family.

Leading troops to fight, food supplies and military pay are a huge expense.

Yun Mo: "Only sufficient logistical supplies can guarantee the combat effectiveness of the army. If the soldiers cannot be paid, their morale will be shaken. That's why the Wang family of Dongyue tacitly allowed the soldiers to rob the people's property after Yu Shida led his troops to capture Yucheng. This is to motivate and stabilize the morale of the army."

Lin Yinan had learned this when he was in school. There was another reason why the King of Dongyue wanted to massacre the city. The expeditionary soldiers were under tremendous psychological pressure and resentment, and they needed a good channel to vent.

The soldiers were promised that they could take gold, silver and other valuables as they pleased after the city was captured. This would greatly help maintain the stability of the army and ensure that they had sufficient combat capability, so the massacre took place.

Just like modern American soldiers, they often commit suicide or self-mutilation, or brutally kill others due to post-war psychological problems.

Yunye pointed to the cities surrounding Yucheng and analyzed the situation for everyone.

"The front, back, left and right sides of Yucheng are controlled by other aristocratic families. The move by the Wang family of Dongyue also serves the purpose of killing a chicken to show respect. With their reputation of slaughtering the city, they can effectively deter the warlords who are eyeing them covetously from all around, and some weak warlords will have to surrender."

Lin Yiheng's face changed drastically. "If this happens, other warlords will follow suit. If they all learn to massacre the city, the ordinary people will suffer!"

Lin Yinan fell into deep thought. This way, the South Land was not completely safe.

Yun Mo looked at her and said what she was thinking, "Then we should focus on deploying our manpower in Chi'an so that we can be informed of the situation outside at any time."

"There have been several heavy snowfalls in most parts of the Central Plains. From my observations of the sky, I know that this extremely cold weather will also affect the entire south." Yun Liu said worriedly.

Lin Shuo's eyes revealed deep anxiety and uneasiness.

"It's terrible. The potatoes we planted are only two months old. If a severe cold weather comes, I'm afraid they will freeze to death!"

All the potatoes harvested last time were used as seeds. This was their only hope. If they were frozen to death, it would be the end of them.

Lin Yinan's face was as calm as water, as if he had a kind of power that could make people feel at ease.

"Uncle, don't worry. Potatoes are cold-resistant and can be harvested in a month. The yield will not decrease."

After hearing her say this, Lin Shuo felt a little relieved.

Yun Mo said: "The three foals and mares that were born not long ago in the stable on the mountain should all be moved to the horse farm in the valley."

No one has any objection to this.

After a while, Yun Yu and Hu Shao hurriedly left with their men. The severe cold was approaching, and they had to tell the people in the villages below the news as soon as possible so that they could prepare in advance.

We have been in the South for three years, and the winter here is not half as cold as that in the Central Plains.

The sudden cold winter this year may freeze many people to death.

Not much cotton was harvested this year, so in the summer Lin Yinan asked Wu Xingwang to buy a lot from other places. The garment factory is working overtime to sew new cotton-padded clothes and hats for the soldiers.

Lin Yinan came out of the garment workshop and met Yun Yu's wife, An, on the road. She was taking her two sons in a carriage and preparing to leave the city. There was also a carriage full of things following behind them.

"Second cousin, where are you going?" Lin Yinan asked with a smile.

The two children called out politely, and An smiled, "The school is on vacation, and my husband and I have agreed to go back to Nanzhou Prefecture to celebrate the New Year together. My husband has to go out for something, so I thought of taking the children back to see my mother-in-law first. My husband rides a horse, so he can catch up with us if he leaves later."

Yun Yu hurriedly sent someone back saying that she was going out for something, but she did not explain the specific reason. An, a woman in the inner house, still did not know the situation in Nanzhou Prefecture.

Lin Yinan advised: "Second cousin, I'm afraid you have to stay here for the New Year this year. Nanzhou Prefecture is surrounded by a large number of refugees, and the city gates are closed. I'm afraid you can't go back."

"Ah? This actually happened and my husband didn't tell me." An said in horror, covering her handkerchief.